Partisan Battle Threatens to Derail Climate Bill

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 03: Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., during the Senate Environment and Public Works briefing on the climate bill. Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works panel tried Tuesday morning to overcome a partisan standoff that could derail a major climate bill even before its first committee markup. Committee Republicans followed through on a threat to boycott Tuesday morningÕs markup, saying they refuse to begin work on the bill until they see a full cost analysis of the measure (S 1733), which would cap greenhouse gas emissions and establish a market for trading government-issued pollution allowances. According to committee rules, two Republicans must be present for a quorum at the markup. Boxer appears ready to carry through on a threat that if Republicans do not come to the table, she will break with procedure and move the bill through committee without them Ð a move the panelÕs ranking Republican, Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe, called a Ònuclear option.Ó (Photo by Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images)